Level 1 — Absolute Beginner
Iran is holding a long funeral for its leader, Ali Khamenei. He died with some family members in an airstrike on February 28, 2026. That airstrike started a war called the 2026 Iran war.
On July 7, people prayed at the Jamkaran Mosque. This mosque is near the city of Qom, about 150 kilometers south of Tehran. Many Shia Muslims see this mosque as very important.
Iran's government says this could be one of the biggest days of the funeral. The Health Ministry thinks about 15 million people will join the funeral events over all the days together. On July 6, a big march went about 10 kilometers through Tehran.
Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is now the new leader. But he has not appeared in public during the funeral. Meanwhile, Israel attacked targets in Lebanon on July 6, even though a ceasefire between the US and Iran is still holding.
- funeral
- a ceremony held after someone dies, to remember and bury them
- airstrike
- an attack from military aircraft
- mosque
- a building where Muslims pray
- pilgrimage
- a trip to a place people consider holy or special
- ceasefire
- an agreement to stop fighting for a period of time
- successor
- a person who takes over a job or role after someone else
- procession
- a group of people walking together, often for a ceremony
- estimate
- to make a careful guess about a number or amount
Level 2 — Elementary
Iran is in the middle of a historic, multi-day state funeral for its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed along with several family members in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28, 2026. That strike was the event that started the 2026 Iran war.
On July 7, prayers were held at the Jamkaran Mosque, which sits near the holy city of Qom, about 150 kilometers south of Tehran. The mosque is connected to the Hidden Imam, also called the Mahdi, and is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Shia Islam.
Iranian officials expect this to be one of the largest days of the funeral. The country's Health Ministry estimates that around 15 million people will take part in the funeral ceremonies across all the days combined. On July 6, the main procession in Tehran covered about 10 kilometers, from Imam Hossein Square to Azadi Square.
Khamenei's son and chosen successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, has still not appeared in public during the funeral. Meanwhile, even though a ceasefire between the US and Iran continues to hold, Israel struck targets in Lebanon on July 6 linked to Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, killing two senior commanders.
- historic
- important enough to be remembered as part of history
- holy
- considered sacred or connected to religion
- pilgrimage site
- a location that people travel to for religious reasons
- Hidden Imam
- a religious figure in Shia Islam believed to be in hiding until he returns
- chosen successor
- the person officially selected to take over a leadership role
- combined
- added together as a total
- commander
- a person who leads soldiers or fighters
- linked to
- connected or associated with something
Level 3 — Intermediate
Iran remains in the midst of a historic, dayslong state funeral for its Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed along with several family members in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28, 2026, the event that touched off the 2026 Iran war.
On July 7, prayers were held at the Jamkaran Mosque, located near the holy city of Qom, roughly 150 kilometers south of Tehran. The mosque is associated with the Hidden Imam, known as the Mahdi in Shia belief, and ranks among the most significant pilgrimage sites in Shia Islam.
Iranian officials say this is expected to be among the largest days of the multi-day funeral. The Health Ministry has estimated that around 15 million people will take part in the funeral ceremonies across the several days combined, following a main Tehran procession on July 6 that ran roughly 10 kilometers, from Imam Hossein Square to Azadi Square.
Notably, Khamenei's son and successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, has still not appeared publicly throughout the funeral. Separately, even as the ceasefire between the US and Iran continues to hold, Israel carried out strikes in Lebanon on July 6 against targets tied to Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The Israeli military said the strikes killed Hezbollah's intelligence chief, Hussein Makled, and Adham Adnan al-Othman, head of the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
- touch off
- to cause something, especially a conflict, to begin suddenly
- associated with
- connected in people's minds or in fact with something else
- significant
- important or meaningful
- notably
- used to draw attention to something worth noticing
- intelligence chief
- the top official in charge of gathering secret information
- armed wing
- the military branch of a political or religious organization
- tied to
- connected or linked to
- in the midst of
- in the middle of doing something or experiencing an event
Level 4 — Advanced
Iran remains in the midst of a historic, dayslong state funeral for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed alongside several family members in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28, 2026, the strike that precipitated the 2026 Iran war, and whose commemorations have unfolded in successive waves across the country's major cities.
On July 7, prayers convened at the Jamkaran Mosque, situated near the holy city of Qom some 150 kilometers south of Tehran. The mosque, associated in Shia tradition with the Hidden Imam, or Mahdi, ranks among the faith's most consequential pilgrimage sites, lending the day's observances a distinctly eschatological resonance.
Iranian officials characterize this as likely to be among the largest single days of the extended funeral, with the Health Ministry projecting that approximately 15 million people will participate in the ceremonies across all the days combined, a figure that follows a July 6 procession through Tehran spanning roughly 10 kilometers, from Imam Hossein Square to Azadi Square.
Conspicuously, Khamenei's son and designated successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, has yet to make a public appearance throughout the funeral proceedings. In a parallel development, and despite the continued endurance of the US-Iran ceasefire, Israel conducted strikes in Lebanon on July 6 against targets affiliated with Hezbollah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The Israeli military stated the strikes killed Hezbollah's intelligence chief, Hussein Makled, along with Adham Adnan al-Othman, commander of the Al-Quds Brigades, Palestinian Islamic Jihad's armed wing.
- precipitate
- to cause an event to happen suddenly or sooner than expected
- commemoration
- an act or ceremony honoring the memory of someone or something
- eschatological
- relating to religious beliefs about the end of the world or final events
- resonance
- a deep or lasting significance and emotional impact
- conspicuously
- in a way that is easily noticed or attracts attention
- designated
- officially chosen or appointed for a role
- affiliated with
- officially connected or associated with an organization
- endurance
- the continued existence of something despite pressure or difficulty
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